Page 54 of The Secret Holiday Kiss

‘Not until you tell me what happened to your face. Who did that to you? What’s going on?’ She saw his shoulders tense, then he slowly turned around. He leaned against the side of the van, ran a hand through his hair, pain flashing in his eyes for a split-second, and Daisy wondered how bad his headache was, if it was even safe for him to be on site right now. ‘Avery?’

‘I walked into a door.’ The words were devoid of emotion, as if he was reciting someone else’s lines.

Daisy crossed her arms. ‘Of course you did.’

‘I was distracted; I got pushed aside by someone. It’s busy in town today and I just – I walked straight into it.’

‘Were you distracted, or did you get pushed aside?’

‘Why are you questioning me?’

‘Because I don’t believe you. I think something’s going on, and I think you should tell me what it is.’

‘Why? Because you think you can solve it? You think you can come along like Little Miss Fix It with your iPad project plans and your shiny ponytail and make all my problems disappear? That you can decide you’re going to do something and then just … do it, regardless of the consequences? Like trespassing on building sites?’

Daisy should have been stung by his cruel words, but she knew he was lashing out, and that meant she was getting close. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I think, at the very least, I can help you by listening; we can work through it together. Just tell me what it is. It doesn’t seem like something you can solve on your own.’

‘You know nothing about it,’ he said. ‘You know nothing about me. You cannot fix this.’ He went to move past her, without his hard hat or his jacket or any tools. The grey cloud had sprung a leak, the rain starting to fall in earnest.

Daisy grabbed his arm. ‘Was it a big black door you walked into? Between a charity shop and a homeware store?’

Avery’s muscle tensed beneath her fingers and the soft cotton of his hoody. He turned around. ‘I need to go,’ he said. ‘Please. Please Daisy, just stay out of it.’

Daisy stared at him, frustration warring with her worry for him, but she didn’t know how to change his mind. ‘OK.’

She released her grip on his arm, and he dropped his head. ‘Shit,’ he muttered. When he looked up, his cold expression had softened. Now he just seemed exhausted. ‘I’m sorry for snapping at you.’

‘It’s fine. I’m leaving now.’ She turned and walked away.

‘Daisy, wait.’ She heard him behind her, but he didn’t grab her. Instead, he hurried ahead, stopping in front of her on the lane, standing far enough away that she didn’t feel crowded. ‘I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said any of those things. I’ve had a stressful day, and I …’ He shook his head. ‘It’s no excuse. I insulted you, and I’m sorry.’

Daisy forced herself not to reach out to him. She knew he hadn’t meant it, knew he wasn’t cruel, and that frustrated her even more, because whatever was going on, it was clear he was struggling. But asking him wasn’t working, he was crazily stubborn, so Daisy settled on the only other weapon she had. She settled on denying him her presence.

‘It’s OK,’ she said. ‘I understand.’

‘You do?’ He stepped towards her. ‘I’m really sorry, Daisy.’

‘I know. I get it. But I need to get home. I need to finish these iPad plans for Winnie and Mary, rescue my shiny ponytail from the rain.’

Avery winced at the reminder of his own words. Maybe, if she pushed the point home, he would realize he needed to tell someone. ‘I shouldn’t have said any of that.’ His voice had dropped, vibrating through her in a way he couldn’t have intended. He was trying to be repentant, not seductive.

‘That’s OK,’ she said again. ‘As you said, you’ve had a tough day. I’ll catch you over the weekend, maybe. Not tomorrow night, though. I’ve got my dinner with Lars.’ She watched his jaw tighten. ‘I’ll be in touch after that. Let you know how it goes.’

She took a step forward and he moved aside, letting her go. She was almost at the end of the lane, her heart pounding, already questioning her plan to walk away, when he called her name.

She turned around. He looked forlorn and bedraggled, and the bruise on his cheek was sharpening into something livid and painful. It took all her restraint not to go back and pull him into a hug. ‘Yes?’

‘Be safe, OK?’ he said. ‘Call me if you need me. Any time. Call me when you get home.’

Daisy nodded, disappointment settling in her gut, along with the worry that had intensified the moment she’d seen him. But she had to hold firm. Like leaving a long silence that the other person couldn’t help but fill, she hoped that, by walking away from Avery, leaving him to replay her offer of help and what he’d said to her in response, he would realize that he could come to her, that she would be Little Miss Fix It.

He’d meant it as an insult, but it was one of her biggest strengths and, right now, all Daisy wanted to do was find out what trouble Avery was in and help him get out of it. iPad plans and Christmas projects no longer held the same importance, not when he was clearly suffering. He might only be her secret holiday kiss, a man she found hopelessly attractive who made her feel alive and desired, but what he’d said to her at the manor held true for her, too.

She cared about him a lot, and she would do anything she could to get him out of whatever mess he was in.

Chapter Eighteen

It was a crisp, clear Saturday night, twinkling stars studding the night sky as they made their way into Norwich. Harry was driving, keeping Daisy company, so she didn’t spend the entire journey worrying about her upcoming dinner.